Heartbreaking Photos Of Kangaroo Cradling His Dying Mate

THE photograph of a dying kangaroo reaching out to her baby for one last time while being cradled by her grieving mate broke millions of hearts across the world.

But the fairy tale love story isn't real.

Now experts say the "loving" scene was nothing more than animal instinct.

Scientist Dr Mark Eldridge from Australian Museum claims the kangaroo cradling the female's head was actually in a state of sexual arousal.

Backed by Dr Derek Spielman, a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney, he said the male roo was actually trying to have sex with the injured female, not mourning her loss.

He even claims the roo may have caused her death.


Talking to the Guardian,he said: "Pursuit of these females by males can be persistent and very aggressive to the point where they can kill the female.

"That is not their intention but that unfortunately can be the result, so interpreting the male’s actions as being based on care for the welfare of the female or the joey is a gross misunderstanding, so much so that the male might have actually caused the death of the female.”

He added the male was holding the female up in an attempt to "guard" her from other roos.

The "heart-rending" scene was captured by photographer Evan Switzer in Queensland, Australia, this week.

He believed the male kangaroo was mourning the loss of his mate when he walked passed them in River Heads

Evan said: “I saw the male pick up the female. He looked like he was just trying to see what was wrong with her.

“He would lift her up and she wouldn’t stand — she’d just fall to the ground. He’d nudge her, stand beside her.

“It was a special thing, he was just mourning the loss of his mate.”